Ski rental is 200,000 rials per day for adults and 150,000 for children.

Instructors charge up to 250,000 rials per hour or 1,000,000 per day.

A daily ski pass is 200,000 rials.

In French but is worth a view even if you don’t speak French (I don’t). Shows some French skiers and snowboarders coming to Tehran and checking out the piste in both Dizin and Shemshak.

Video from MeltingSpot

Resort Altitude : 2700m
Top elevation, Highest Lift : 3600m
Base elevation, Lowest Piste : 2650m
Vertical drop Max 850m
Skiable area: 470 ha
Runs: 23
Night skiing: No

Lift system:
3 gondola, telecabins,
12 chairlifts , Ski Lifts
1 hammer teleski,
7 dish teleskis, drag lifts,
2 skilifts, chair lifts
Snow depths average 2m at bottom to 6m at the top
Established in 1969

Thanks to the excellent Mount Damavand Guide for this info.

Unfortunately I cannot give you any prices as my reply to a guy in the pro-shop who asked whether I would need a ski instructors was: “I am from Norway”. He laughed away with his Iranian friends quoting what I just said. We have a saying here in Norway that says that Norwegians are born with the skies on their legs. It is also here that both the first indication of skiing as well as modern skiing was invented (in fact not far from where my grandma lives here in Telemark).

For guided off-piste skiing or snowboarding contact Mosayeb Seyd Poor (+98 912-3132773) who grew up in Dizin and has competed internationally as a professional snowboarder. He charges 100 EUR for a day.

Mosayeb

I spent all together about 3-4 weeks in Tehran and got to know the city quite well. But what I did not learn by myself I learned from Mr. Mousavi at Firouzeh Hotel. He showed me how to get from Imam Khomeini Square to Tarjish Square for 7 000 rials (roughly nothing) with shared taxi (savarri) compared to the normal 50 000 or so rials (5 USD) with a private taxi. He arranged a taxi for me and my friend Lachlyn from Tehran to Dizin. And did everything he could to assist my two friends Line and Birte who drove a van from Norway to India and came to Iran not knowing they needed a ration card to get petrol.

If you are a backpacker Hotel Firouzeh is a decent place to stay if you want a private room (no dorms) and the great thing except for the help of Mr. Mousavi is the other travelers you will meet there. But even if you decide to stay somewhere else Mr. Mousavi can help you with information about Tehran or arrange transport to Dizin.

You can contact him by calling +98 912 436 1974 or e-mail: nice4human@yahoo.com

Yazd

My first suggestion definitevely has to be Yazd. It is the oldest city in the world that is still inhabitated. Walking through the narrow streets between old mud houses is like stepping back two thousands years in time. Some of these houses hide beautiful gardens with pools and rooms enough for a king behind their tall walls. In addition there are some fantastic mosques here.

Masouleh

A beautiful hill-side village where the houses are built so close together in the steep hill that the house-roofs are used as roads. A popular getaway for Tehranians who wants to escape the heat and enjoy a hike in the mountain. Rent a room from one of the villagers and enjoy a kebab in the small bazaar. Also visit nearby Qaleh-Rudkhan, an old hill-top fort.

Kashan

If you have limited time then a trip to Kashan is the best choice. Only a couple of hours south of Tehran you can see beatiuful old buildings and a great active bazaar. A perfect place to see a real Iranian small city, you will not find many tourists here and the bazaar is operated the same way it always has. Nearby you will also find Fin Garden. For a day-trip from here visit a small mountain village called Abyaneh famous for beautiful red mud houses and women with colorful scarfs. On the way back to Tehran stop in Qom, the religious center of Iran where you will find conservative muslims.

Isfahan

Holds perhaps one of the beautiful man made places in the world: Naqsh-e Jahan Square (after the revolution officially known as Imam Khomeini Square). Also take a stroll over one of the bridges and a stop for a relaxing chai while chatting with the locals.

Been to Iran? What are your favorite places? Leave a comment.